Nicolet Hoops Star Takes to the Water

Nicolet High School continues to present a bevy of talent to the collective web of college athletics, much to the delight of athletic directors everywhere.

Brianna Achs is one of those astonishing athletes who comes around only once in a while. A dominating force on the successful Lady Knights basketball squad, she also is headed to the University of Iowa on a rowing scholarship.

If someone was searching for a young woman to serve as the prototype of a sports superhero, Achs might get the call.

Like other superheroes, Achs admittedly has her own Kryptonite.  "I'm afraid of alligators so I never even looked at schools in Florida," Achs jokes.

Three other Nicolet athletes received athletic scholarships in basketball. Senior Alex Cohen is going to Northwestern University, senior Ashley Green to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and senior Gabby Bronson to UW-Parkside. 

The University of Iowa won the sweepstakes for Achs, where she plans on majoring in graphic design and photography. Brianna's scholarship will pay more than half of her expenses. Full scholarships in rowing are relatively rare. "I did get one full scholarship," Achs said. "That was from Rhode Island."

Decided to stay in the Midwest

Achs says at first she was reluctant to stay too close to home and visited numerous schools, including several in California.

"It turned out I loved Iowa City. It's hard to differentiate between the city and the campus, and I like that a lot. My parents didn't push me to go anywhere. They were really cool," Achs said.

She will start training for her first college rowing season in August, and the rowing season will start the following spring. In the  meantime, Achs will take on a rigorous off-season training schedule to keep herself in shape.

"It's not like they're going to call and check on me," Achs says. "But it's in my best interest to stick to a workout plan."

Since signing her letter of intent with Iowa, Achs says a lot of stress has been relieved. 

"I was just a wreck last summer," she said. "I wasn't sure where I wanted to go, I didn't want to make the wrong choice. My parents let me choose and I chose Iowa."

Achs says she really liked Michigan State and it was very hard to make a decision.

"It was unbelievable to finally sign. I see some of my friends still stressing. I had people interested in me coming to school rather than the other way around."

Plenty of lessons learned at Nicolet

Achs credits Nicolet High School with helping her find herself.

"I loved Nicolet," Achs said. "There are always some tough days but I think it's key to find a place you belong and for me Nicolet was that place. I think I grew into myself here, if that's a proper way to put it."

Yes, that's perfect.

Achs has found a way to balance her sports and academics although she admits there may have been times she could have prepared more, like on game nights.

"We had a rule," Achs said. "If I got a 'C' in any of my courses, I had to drop a sport. Fortunately, that didn't happen."

A serious hand injury sustained in a basketball game may have been providential and helped open a window to rowing.

"When I first broke my hand, I thought I'd jammed my finger and kept playing, which probably wasn't very smart. I told the coach and he said I was being a 'wuss.' It was all swollen, black and blue."

Rowing was not love at first sight

Looking for a way to stay in shape, and with basketball out of the question, she discovered rowing.

Initially, Achs said rowing didn't look like it was for her.

"When I first started rowing there were so many cool people that made me feel comfortable. When you get better it becomes more fun, like basketball. It's a sport you can almost do unconsciously," she said.

"When I get into my zone, I really feel comfortable," Achs said of the sport. "I just look at the back of the rower in front of me and some of it becomes mechanical. At UW-Madison they have these incredible pools where they have boats in the water and you can practicein the winter."

Achs says rowers develop a synchronization with teammates. "It feels kind of creepy sometimes. I zone out and don't even look outside the boat." Achs says her mind tends to wander and she doesn't want to get distracted by another boat or a bird. "I prefer sculling, I love it. I've never flipped. I don't want to end up in the Milwaukee River, that's gross."

Rowing will get you into tremendous shape and since she started rowing Achs has been known to bowl people over in basketball games.

"It's not like I do it consciously," she said. "Not like I just go around knocking people over, but I have to admit rowing can help make you strong."

It was a friend of Brianna's father who introduced her to rowing.

"A friend of mine told me his daughter was rowing," Stephan Achs said. "After a little kicking and screaming, we got her to try the sport."

Stephan Achs says his daughter's  rowing coach at the Milwaukee Rowing Club, Peter Helfer, has been an inspiration to Brianna. "He told me he saw a piece of coal he'd like to turn into a diamond."